82 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and testimonies relative to such actual phenomena as appear to ex- 

 ceed the usual events of Nature, is especially justified when, in the 

 sleeping condition of the animal, every trace of visible deception is 

 removed; how much more so are doubt, reserve, and refusal, an irre- 

 fragable law and duty, when it treats of phenomena which, on one 

 hand, are a scorn to science, and, on the other, not only give rise to 

 suspicion, but are an actual visible deception ! This last double char- 

 acter marks thousands of phenomena which eyes and ears have con- 

 sidered real in mesmerism, clairvoyance, spiritualism, etc. 



In the mean while, strict natural science never decides a priori, 

 and the indicated character would never prevent science from drawing 

 phenomena of such a character into the range of its investigation 

 and trial. And yet, the science of our day is placed, in every respect, 

 opposite to spiritualism and its relations. Are not the passionate 

 complaints and reproaches to which the representatives of science, 

 and even science itself, are exposed, from the countless fanatics and 

 believers of this mysterious faith, quite unjustifiable? 



By no means ! It will be easy, after all you have seen and heard 

 here, to justify the bearing of science. I considered myself unable to 

 withdraw from this ungrateful task, because it is a duty of my especial 

 profession to prepare a true explanation, and because my previous 

 scientific research has led me to the region where superstition, preju- 

 dice, credulity, and even worse, absolutely rule. I called the task 

 " ungrateful," because one finds powers in opposition against which, 

 as Schiller says, " the gods themselves struggle in vain." 



They who are occupied with the questionable regions, which are 

 made attractive and ensnaring through wonderful and mysterious 

 things, are divided into two classes. The first is formed of persons 

 who care nothing about the confirmation and investigation of remark- 

 able events, but, on the contrary, occupy themselves with those events 

 through sordid but harmless motives. To this class belong the friv- 

 olous, and those professionless people who are influenced by vanity, 

 and endeavor to kill time with apparently great industry. Of this 

 class it is not necessary to speak further. 



The other class is composed of upright people, who mean honestly ; 

 and these have a right to be looked after, and set properly on their 

 course, even if teaching and advice find deaf ears. 



In this class are two distinct groups : 1. Good people, but bad 

 investigators ; that is, the scientific know-nothings, who have never 

 occupied themselves particularly with natural researches, and their 

 results and methods ; 2. Scientific people by reputation, who have 

 performed, for their own special departments, real services for science. 



Of those who belong to the first group of this class, and who, 

 without profession or special education, undertake to explore such 

 complicated and puzzling events, we can simply say : If these true- 

 hearted people only had an idea of the requirements and difficulties 



